Clamp



O s 1940', I w. H. STEINBRINK 2,216,858

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Filed NOV. 30, 1939 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor WILUAM H. STEINBWNK,

I N By M MBEEZLG'L A tiomeys Patented Oct. 8, i940 mm was PATENT OFFICE CLAMP I William H. Steinbrink, Kendall, Wis. Application November 30, 1939, Serial No. 306,949

4 Claims.

4 Myinvention relates to improvements in clampsfor use in fitting doors,

The invention is designed with the particular; purpose, in, view of providing an inexpensive, eflicient and easily, operated clamp for attachment to a ,door frame to hold a door in proper position for planing, or otherwise trimming, preparatoryto fitting in the frame.

To the accomplishmentof the above, and sub- 19 ordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claims appended hereto. v

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention applied to a door frame,

Figure 2 is a view in top plan, with parts shown insection,

f Figure 3 is a view'in longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and drawn to an enlarged: scale, the clamp being shown detached, Figure4 is .a view in transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 5 is a view initransverse section taken rection indicated by the arrows.

Referring to thedrawings by numerals, the illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises,as itsbasic element, a tubular main section I shorter than the distance between the side stiles of the, door frame, and a pair of rod-like cylindrical plungers 2-, 3,"slidably fitting in opposite ends of said section I for projection and retraction relative thereto. Section I and plungers 2, 3 are designed to be interposed horizontally between the side stiles 4 of a door frame at an appropriate level with the plungers projected against said'stiles into clamping engagement therewith. To preventmarring said stiles 4 the plungers 2, 3 are each equipped at the outer end thereof with a relativelylarger clamping head 5 of resilient material such as rubber. One of the plungers, for instance, 2, is adapted to be set] in approximate projected position prior to clamping the plungers in the described position. For this purpose said plunger 2 is equipped with a radically disposed hand grip lever 8 extending therefrom adjacent the inner end thereof and projecting through a longitudinally extending slot I in the section I, said lever 6 having a detent lever 8 pivoted intermediate its ends thereon, as at 9, to extend parallel therewith and for rocking movement thereon, the inner end of said lever 8 overlying the section I. The detent lever 8 includes an inwardly extending detent stud I on the inner end thereof which on the line 5 of Figure 1 looking in the diis urged toward the section I by a coil spring II suitably interposed between said levers 6 and 8. The section I is provided therein with a series of longitudinally spaced apertures I2 for receiving the detent studs I0 to lock the plunger 2 in different set positions. As will be clear, by grasping the hand lever 6 and rocking the detent lever 8 against the tension of the spring I I, the plunger 2 may be unlocked from the section I and set to the desired projected position by sliding the same outwardly of said section, at which point, it may be locked in set position by releasing the detent lever B for action under the urge of the spring II to insert the stud 2 in a selected aperture I2. I

Means are provided for projecting and retracting the other plunger 3 as follows: Extending from the section I radially and on the same side thereof as the slot I, and levers 6 and 8, is a segmental toothed rack I3 spaced.

inwardly from the inner end of the plunger 3. A plunger operating hand lever I4 extends from the rack I3 in the plane thereof, said lever I3 having a bifurcated inner end I5 pivoted to said rack, as at I6, whereby said lever is swingv able on said rack lengthwise of the section I and plunger 3. The remainder of the lever I4 is hollow and has slidably mounted therein a detent rod I'I longitudinally movable to engage its inner end with the rack I3. A suitably connected coil spring I8, in said lever, urges said rod I'I into engagement with said rack. A suitable detent operating lever I9 pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 20, on an ear 2| extending from said lever I4, is operatively connected, as at 22, to the outer end of said rod I! for manipulation to release the latter. The plunger operating lever I4 is operatively connected with the plunger 3 by means of a forked link 23 pivoted at one end, as at 24, to an ear 25 on said lever and having its other end pivoted, as at 26 to a lug 21 extending from the plunger 3 through a longitudinally disposed slot 28 provided in the section I. As will be manifest, by operation of the plunger operating lever I4 in the proper direction, the plunger 3 may be projected against the appropriate side stile 4 and locked in said position by thedetent rod I1 and rack I3 to clamp both plungers 2, 3 to the side stiles 4. I

The section I carries door clamping devices which, when the plungers 2, 3, are clamped to lug 3! on the section I intermediate the ends of the latter and extending at a 90 degree angle to the slots 1, 23 so as to extend from one side of the section I when the latter is clamped by the plungers 2, 3, to the stiles 4 with the levers 6, l4, upstanding. A right angled jaw-carrying bracket 32 having a pair of laterally spaced ears 33 on one end thereof straddling said lug 3| is pivoted to the latter by a pin 34 extending through said ears and lug, the arrangement being such that said bracket may be swung beneath the section I upwardly or downwardly toward and from said adjacent end of the door 33. As best shown in Figure 5, the bracket 32 has a right angledfree end 35 which, when the bracket is swung upwardly, is disposed upright on the side of section I opposite the lug 3| and said end has suitably fixedthereto a jaw member 36 comprising a pair of laterally spaced jaws 31 adapted in the upwardly swung position of the carrier 32 to straddle said adjacent end of the door 38. One jaw 31 has threaded therein a thumb screw 38 with a resilient head 39 thereon for clamping against one side of the door 31]. The other jaw has slidably mount-ed therein a similar device 43 slidable therein endwise for similar engagement with the opposite side of the door. The device 453 includes a shank 4| endwise slidable by means of a hand lever 42 pivoted to said other jaw 31, as-at 43,

4| for wiping engagement with teeth 48 on said shank, releasably retains the device 40 in clamping position in a manner which will be understood. A suitable spring latch 49 is provided on the section I for snap action engagement with the upper edge of the carrier 32 to releasably latch the same in upwardly swung position.

Aswill beobvious, by backing off the screw 38 and the device Mlthe door 30 may be released from the described door clamp devices for re rnoval and trial fitting in the doorway. Also,

when the screw 38 and the device 40 are backed might occurby attempting to remove the same away from the clamping devices.

The manner in which the plungers 2, 3 may be unclamped from the stiles 4 preparatory to detaching the device will be clear without explanation.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of the construction, use and advantages of the invention.

Manifestly, the embodiment of the invention described is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. Clamping apparatus for attachment to the side stiles of a door frame'and to hold a door in upright position on the floor for edge trimming comprising a tubular main section adapted to be interposed horizontally between said stiles, a pair of plungers endwise slidable in opposite ends in said section, respectively, for extension therefrom against said stiles into clamping engagement with said stiles, manipulative means adjacent each end of the section operative to extend said plungers at will into different set positions, and a yoke-like door clamp mounted on said section for swinging movement transversely thereof into and from straddling relation to an edge of said door.

2. Clamping apparatus for attachment to the side stiles of a door frame and to hold a door in upright position on the floor for edge trimming comprising a tubular main section adapted to be interposed horizontally between said stiles, a pair of plungers endwise slidable in opposite ends of said section, respectively, for extension therefrom against said stiles into clamping engagement with said stiles, manipulative means adjacent each end of the section operative to extend said plungers at will into different set positions, and a yoke-like door clamp mounted on said section for swinging movement transversely thereof into and from straddling relation to an edge of said door, said door clamp being constructed and arranged to swing under the influence of gravity when released out of said straddling relation and clear of said edge of the door.

3. Clamping apparatus for attachment to the side stiles of a door frame and to hold a door in upright position on the floor for edge trimming comprising a tubular main section adapted to be interposed horizontally between said stiles, a pair of plungers endwise slidable in opposite ends of said section, respectively, for extension therefrom against said stiles into clamping engagement with said stiles, manipulative means operative to extend said plungers at will into diiferent set positions, and a yoke-like door clamp mounted on said section for swinging movement transversely thereof into and from straddling relation to an edge of said door, said door clamp being constructed and arranged to swing under the influence of gravity when released out of said straddling relation and clear of said edge of the door, said door clamp including a plunger-type member endwise movable thereon into and from clamping relation to one side of the door, and means to move said member into different set positions including a lever pivoted on said clamp and operatively connected to said member, and coacting detent devices on said clamp and member, respectively.

4. Clamping apparatus for attachment to the side stiles of a door frame and to hold a door in upright position on the floor for edge trimming comprising a tubular main section adapted to be interposed horizontally between said stiles, a pair of plungers endwise slidable in opposite ends of said section, respectively, for extension therefrom against said stiles into clamping engagement with said stiles, manipulative means adjacent each end of the section operative to extend said plungers at will into difierent set positions, and a yoke-like door clamp mounted on said section for swinging movement transversely thereof into and from straddling relation to an edge of said door, said door clamp being constructed and arranged to swing under the influence of gravity when released out of said straddling relation and clear of said edge of the door, and a latch on said section for snap action engagement with said clamp to hold the same in straddling relation.

WILLIAM H. STEINBRINK. 

